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Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
Statutory notification
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
Alert
: cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the
public health units (Healthy WA)
within a few hours of first suspicion of diagnosis.
See
notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB)
.
Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for
metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB)
or
regional residents (PDF 208KB)
.
For notification of regional residents see contact details of
public health units
.
See also description of
statutory medical notifications in Western Australia
.
Public health management
Important information
Infectious agent
: HUS is a thrombotic microangiopathy that is characterised by haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal dysfunction. Shiga toxin producing
Escherichia coli
(STEC) is a primary cause of HUS, although other pathogens and medications can cause this syndrome.
STEC transmission
: faecal-oral, food-borne, water-borne and animal-person.
STEC incubation period
: From 1 to 10 days (usually 2 to 4 days).
STEC infectious period
: Most infectious while symptomatic. The infectious dose is low. The duration of excretion of the pathogen is typically ≤1 week in adults but 3 weeks in 1/3 of children. Use contact transmission- based precautions for hospitalised and institutionalised patients.
Case exclusion
: Exclusions for HUS apply to cases caused by STEC/VTEC only. Patients diagnosed with STEC should be excluded until asymptomatic, including normal stools, for 24 hours. If patient works in health-care, aged-care, child-care or is a food handler or attends child-care, exclude until clearance specimens have been completed. See
Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB)
.
Contact exclusion
:
Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB)
.
Treatment
: Oral rehydration and appropriate treatment as recommended by the doctor.
Immunisation
: None available.
Case follow-up
: Cases followed up the Communicable Disease Control Directorate with assistance from the
public health units (Healthy WA)
.
Guidelines
OD 0490/14 Public Health Follow-up of Sporadic Enteric Disease Notifications
Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB)
Communicable Disease Guidelines, for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners
Notifiable disease data and reports
Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
General infectious disease reports
Last reviewed:
14-11-2023
Produced by
Public Health
Related links
Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) (external site)